Step Siblings: Growing love
by Keily Bee
Summary: Jake is starting to notice. Suze is starting to notice. Even Jesse is starting to notice! Notice what? That Jake and Suze might be meant to be more than just Step-Sibs! Can their love survive ghost, ex-girlfriends, ex-boyfriends and a cruel, cruel world?
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, Hi people! Ok, so I've had this idea for like, ever, but I just didn't think people would like it much, so yeah, I kept it to myself, but today I looked up Suze and Jake stories, **

**and there was only 1!!!!!! So yeah, I;m gonna try this ok so yeah there's not enough Jake-Suze love out there lol!**

**Ok, so tell me what you think, please people I can't survive with just myself supporting myself lol! Ok, so BTW this takes place right before Reunion, so yeah.**

**Disclaimer-I do NOT own The Mediator Series or any of it's characters.**

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**Suze's Point of View**

Am I a _complete _freak? I know I'm odd, and yes kind of crazy, but completely out of my mind? I don't know. Eh, I honestly don't care though. Honestly I don't. Just, sometimes I wonder. Being able to see and talk to ghost, I know I'm not normal, but I don't know if I really am a complete phsyco. At least I _try _to act normal. Ever since I moved here to California, I've tried really hard not to talk to walls, or throw chairs and rackets out the windows. I'm pretty sure that I haven't even been a _suspect _to the damage the school suffered awhile back or anything of that sort. So why? Why can't I have a boyfriend? I haven't done anything to scare the boys of! Nothing, seriously.......It isn't exactly fair. The only guy's in my life right now are either:

a) Simply Friends (Adam, Father D.,)

b)Family(Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Andy)

c) dead friends.(Jesse)

And half those people aren't even my AGE. Oh well....ugh life stinks. It really does.

**Jake's Point of View**

Another boring day. School, check. Study? ? Check. Nap.....triple check. Work? Tomorrow. I SERIOUSLY need a girl. I've been out of it recently, though I'm pretty sure Kelly Prescott's interested. But, I have seriously had enough of _her _type. They only come onto you for your looks. I'm 18, I need a SERIOUS relationship now!**(lol, sorry if the age is of people, I forgot his actual age, so I'm just gonna use18) **The only girl that I have been even mildly interested in is Suze...um-mm...wait NO that's not true! She's just my sister, my step-sister at that! Sure, she's really pretty, and she seems...smart, not timid and not that little princess type that's waiting for a boy to come over and play superhero. She actually is incredibly independent. Except, I worry about her. The gang thing? I haven't necessarily ruled that possibility out yet. I mean there was:

1. The smoke

2. The leather jacket.

3. The whole being at school for no apparent reason at midnight thing (What else could that be besides a gang initiation?)

4. The trouble she got into at her old school.

It seems pretty obvious to me that she's in a gang. I actually worry about her now. I feel like if I turn my back, next thing I know she'll be part of some mafia and getting involved with the wrong guys. I mean, the whole Tad Beaumont thing? The guys uncle was a serial killer! Who knows what that B------ could have done to her! The mere thought of it makes me....the anger is unbearable. Of course, she has no idea I worry about her. She is way to involved with whatever she does. I know she has probably snuck out a thousand times. One things for sure though. She's not like other girls....she's brave...and...unpredictable. She's one to look out for. I just hope this small obsession is just innocent curiosity. Because it would be crazy to fall in love with my sister....step-sister I mean.

**Jesse's Point of View.**

I find today's teenagers very strange. Increasingly actually. Especially since the Ackerman moved in, and even more when Susannah Simon moved in. She seems to enjoy putting herself in the path of danger. She doesn't think things through, she jumps to conclusions, and she usually lies to people. I don't know why she won't just tell her mother that she is a mediator. Though she has tried, unsuccessfully, to explain to me why. She says her mother would never believe her, that she would lock her up in a mental institute almost instantly. I do not argue much on that matter, it is clear that Susannah and her mother's minds are on different pages. Even, I admit to being pleased by this, on dating. Susannah doesn't get out with men much, except for Bryce Martinson and Tad Beaumont she has not dated much. I have noticed something though, and this bothers me increasingly: Her brother, Jake, is beginning to stare. At Susannah. From a distance. And not in a way that a brother should be staring at his sister. I have begun to see the protectiveness in his eyes when Susannah mentions another boy, or when she tries to go out late. Then there is the subject that concerns me the most: Susannah is beginning to notice, and, unconsciously, responding to it. I believe they call that flirting?

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**Lol, I don't know where I'm going with this, or if it is going anywhere, so I need reviews to tell me if I should continue, please people, even if you HATED it I'd appreciate a **

**review telling me so!**

**Ok, so that's pretty much it, so yeah tell me what you think, bye people!**

**-Sour Candy**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, Hi people! Ok, I updated like all stories but this one so now I kind of have to lol. **

**Enjoy, I tried my best, I truly did, and i know where I want to go with this, but I'm not sure you guys want me to go anywhere, so if I dont get let's say at least 5 more reviews, I'm pulling the story, ONLY cause I want to focus on my other stories.**

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**Suze's Point of View**

_Beep, beep, beep._

"No...." I groaned. Stupid alarm clock. Shut up, you stupid metal torture device! I rolled over and reached out from under my covers to slam the snooze button. "Give me five more minutes, _please._" I begged. I hate school. Why do I even need it? Seriously ugh. Don't want to get up, don't want to get up, don't want to...don't want to........

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"SUSANNAH!" I heard someone yell at me as they threw the covers off of me.

"What?!" I mumbled. "Go away, I'm sleeping!"

"Susannah! Get up, or you'll be late for school!"

"Relax, I have like, an hour." I mumbled as I rolled over and tried to fall back asleep.

"Susannah?"

"What?!"

"You have five minutes until your brother decides to leave without you."

I groaned. "What time is it?"

"8:05"

"WHAT?!" I yelled, my eyes popped open and I reached over to my alarm clock. 8:06. Fantastic. I jumped out of bed threw open my closet, grabbed the first decent T-shirt I saw, a pair of jeans and ran to the bathroom. I got dressed in record time. Hair? I just slamme on a head band. I ran out of the bathroom and dashed out the door. Half way down the stairs I realised I forgot my bag. I ran back up.

"Your bag is under yur bed." Jesse told me, clearly amused.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

I ran out again. Then I realised I forgot my homework. Back up.

"Homework is on your desk."

"Got it." I ran back out. This time I made all the way down. Then I realised I forgot to put on shoes. I stomped my way back upstaris, where Jesse, still clearly amused, .was holding my shoes.

"Have a good day Susannah." He said.

"I'll be sure to do so." I grabbed my shoes, slipped them on and ran downstairs again.

"Why the heck did NO ONE wake me up?!" I yelled as I stalked in to the kitchen, where everyone had already finished their breakfast.

"Eh." Stupid Dopey.

"I tried." Thanks Doc.

"Gee, I thought you could get yourself out of bed, are you not 16?" Shut up Sleepy. I glared.

"Ok now, come on guys, we don't got much time left, thanks to Sleeping Beauty here." Sleepy said, grabbing the keys of the counter.

"Well if _somebody _had just taken the time to go upstairs and wake me, we wouldn't be so late." I glared at him some more.

"And if _somebody _hadn't been up so late doing her homework, we wouldn't have to wake you up." Sleepy replied.

"I was busy, OK?" I told him.

"Yeah, busy down at the beach." He mumbled.

"Shut up, you don't know where I go when I'm not home!" I shot back.

"I know you, and sneaking out the door with a backpack that reeks of sunscreen and ocean when you come back means you didn't go to the library."

Glare glare glare. I decided to drop it. "Don't wait up for me after school."

"Oh, I wont."

I rolled my eyes.

"So what should I tell mom then?" he asked.

"You should tell your _step-_mom that I'll be going out with Tad tonight." I told him. I noticed that he gripped the steering wheel kind of tightly as I said Tad's name. Why do all the guys in my life hate him?

"Fine." He growled.

I heard Dopey snicker in the back seat. "Yo, dude just ask her out already I mean she-" I didn't get to hear the rest, Sleepy managed to grab a bottle of sunscreen we always left in the car and chuck it at Dopey's face.

"Hey!" Dopey yelled as he picked it up and chucked it back, hitting Sleepy on the cheek."Do that again and I'll tell her how you _dream _she was yours, how you would do anything to-" he began, in a mock, sweet voice.

"DO THAT YOU FOOL AND I SWEAR I WILL-"

"Doc, cover your ears." I instructed, and I am glad he did as he was told, the words that tumbled out of Sleepy's mouth were DEFINITELY not appropriate for a 12 year old boy. Eventually Sleepy finished his threat and turned back to the road, still glowering.

"So who does Sl-Jake like?" I asked Dopey. He smirked.

"You can't tell?" He said, his eyebrows raised. He laughed, "Oh you really are blind then, he likes y-" again he was cut off by Jake again.

"Brad, I will forget you are my brother, besides Mom and Dad already have four kids, what's one less?"

"I'd like to see you _try _to hurt me, Jakey." Dopey shot back.

"I'd like to see your face if you would have finished that sentence, I would scramble it so bad, you'll need 1000 plastic surgeries to look human again!"

"And? That's still less than you're going to need....NOW."

"Oh, well hye, you know what-"

"Enough! Both of you, seriously!" I yelled at them. "Ugh, be quiet, or I will scramble _both _your faces!" I threated, turning my hand in to a fist.

They simply continued to glare at each other."Eyes on the road hon." I instructed Jake.

"Huh?" he looked at me confused.

"Er, I mean Jake." I corrected myself. For some reason this threw Dopey into a big fit of laughter, one that lasted all through the rest of the car we got to school(we actually got there 3 minutes before the warning bell) I reminded Sleepy that I wouldn't be riding with him. He scowled. "Have fun with _Tad._" He said then stalked of to some other part of the school.

"What's his problem?" I asked.

Dopey snickered and also ran off.

He smiled. "Eh. There's not much I can add at this point. I actually _shocked_ that you haven't figured this out already. He smiled some more, then he waved and, like his brothers, ran off, leaving me in the middle of the parking lot, wondering what I was missing that everyone else seemed to know.

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**I enjoyed writing this lol! XD I hope you enjoyed reading it, please review!**

**-Sour Candy**


	3. Chapter 3

**OMG! I receive 5 wonderful reviews last chapter! OMG I am so happy for those who decided to comment it, thank you so so much! Listen, listen: I was being so so totally selfish last chapter and I am so so so so so sorry about it. I mean, I shouldn't have asked for 5 reviews, it was so totally mean and hypocritical of me! I hate it when people ask for a certain amount of reviews, and I wasn't thinking when I said it, I am so so so sorry! It was wrong of me....So if I do it again, don't be afraid to virtually slap me, ok guys? I deserve it! Ok, so I have a number of things I should apologize for, so let us count them off shall we?**

**1) The whole asking for reviews thing: A personal thanks to those who have reviewed so far, thank you!**

**2) I was going to apologize by posting this chapter extra early but...I hit writers block. I admit it and I'm sorry, I am so sorry. But I have gotten over it and now I will continue to write!**

**3) Not grammatically checking my work lately! I am so sorry! I must have annoyed some of you to death! I will try to be more careful from now on ok?**

**4) Completely forgetting WHEN this story was suppose to take place! Last chapter I made Suzesay she was going out with Tad later that day, but, Jake mentioned the fire at the end of the book The Ninth Key, therefore, she COULDN'T be going out with Tad, he's somewhere in San Francisco!(Sacramento?) I am so so so sorry if that confused anyone. Looks like I'm going to have to change the story a little bit to make it fit that, just....Ok you know what just read the sotry already, it's self explanatory!**

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"What's up Simon?" CeeCee leaned against the locker next to mine as I unloaded all that was no longer needed for the weekend. I was so extremely relieved that it was Friday afternoon, the weekend only a bells ring away.

"Cee." I smiled at my best friend. Then I groaned. "I have a date in a couple of minutes." She raised her eyebrows and looked at me like I was crazy.

"And? What's wrong with that? I thought you liked Tad."

"Ummm. Define like? He's nice and all but, total jock. It's usually basketball 24/7 with him. Ugh, not something a girl like me looks for in a boyfriend." I remembered our first date. All he talked about was basketball. Ok, nothing against the sport, but seriously! The world might just be in the shape of a giant basketball but that doesn't mean it revolves around it!

CeeCee nodded in agreement. "Eh, oh well. At least he's actually playing the sport, not just sitting on the couch with a bag of chips watching it. " she said with a chuckle. "How about this? After your date with Tad we have a girls night. Just because it's not technically a break-up doesn't mean we cant stuff our faces and gossip the night away like any other normal girls would." she said with a smile. Normal. Gee, Cee, I wish I was but, hey I'm not. Normal that is. I'm a complete freak. Why? Oh that's simple. I'm the mediator. Still that didn't mean I couldn't have some fun.

"Sure." I answered. "Stop by the market and load up, I need this." I answered. And I really did. I hadn't had much of a break in between Heather, the revenge seeking girlfriend from hell, and Cynthia, Doc's biological mother who seemed to think I can magically guess anything and everything.

We heard a soft bell ring. "Time to go..." I said. "Wish me luck." I was going to need it for two reasons:

1: I didn't think I could survive another basketball speech.

2: I knew I couldn't survive Jesse tagging along on another date with me and Tad.

Which is why I didn't tell him where I was going. Now all I had to do was be carefull of where my thoughts went to. The last thing I need is him popping up out of nowhere, making me jump and possibly shriek. I hated it when Jesse did that.

I was lucky. I was able to zoom out of the whole conversation with Tad and avoid thinking about Jesse the whole night. Thank God. When I got home Sleepy was on the counch doing what he did best. Sleeping. I rolled my eyes and slammed the door closed. His eyes popped open and he jumped up, startled. I laughed, crossing my arms in front of my chest. He looked up and glared at me.

"What was that for?!" he yelled.

"Hm. Sleeping Beauty don't like any competition. I thought _I _was the sleeper? " I laughed, turned on my heel and was about to run upstairs when I heard Jake speak up.

"So. How was your date with _Tad_?" he asked. Seriously, why does everyone find it impossible to like him? First Jesse now Jake?

"It's was fine." I said sharply. Dates with Tad were fine. But that's it. Nothing good, nothing bad. "Why should you care?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He smirked. "That bad, huh?"

I glared at him. "None of your business!"

He laughed. "Wow, guess rich arm candy isn't all that it's cut out to be."

I drew in a sharp breath. What was his problem? "No, but he is a good is eno That ught to make him desirable." My turn to smirk. Don't ask me why but I felt that would shut him up. And it did. His laughter came to an abrupt stop. His hand went into a fist and he gripped the remote a bit too hard. Um, ok. Didn't expect the change in atmosphere to be so....weird.

"Y-Y-You kissed him?" he asked, tensing visibly.

"Uh yeah. What part of 'good kisser' didn't you understand?" I asked, turning on my heel and marching up the stairs. Then I prayed Jesse wasn't eaves dropping , since if he had, I was garanteed another 'forward lesson'. What did that even mean seriously?

CeeCee came around 6'o'clock, right in time for dinner. Andy said it was fine for her to join us and I was able to sneak the junk food upstairs before anyone noticed it. Sitting down for dinner was like any other night, despite the fact that we had a guest. Well actually, no, the difference was that Dopey was making gagging faces and grimacing at Cee whenever he thought no one was looking. What a jerk. If only he knew what my people thought about him.

Other than that things went by pretty smoothly. That is until my mother mentioned Tad....

"So, Susie, how was your date with Thaddeus?" she asked.

"It's Tad mom. And I guess it was...fine." I rolled my eyes at CeeCee, as if to say, "_Here it comes."_

"Just fine? Are you sure? It was a date, a date Susie! I'm sure it was way more than just plain old 'fine'. The boy seemed like such a good man, he playes basketball on his school's team, doesn't he? He sounded like a keeper. Boyfriend material?" She asked. Well, my mom certainly liked the jocks back when she was my age. Sadly, for me, I would prefer someone with a brain.

I was about to answer when Jake snickered. "Please, a guy like him? That dude hook's up then drop's them like no ones business."

"Jake!" Andy said, surprised.

"How would you know that?! He was a good guy!" I said, despite all odds, coming to Tad's defense.

Sleepy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. So your telling me he didn't offer once to rent you a hotel room or...?"

My mom gasped.

Again I took in a deep breath, "What the- What's your problem with him?! Like you haven't done that to a girl before! Oh wait, you couldn't, your broke!"

"Susie!" My mother gasped again.

He glared. "What, now you're comparing me to that smuck?!" he nearly yelled.

"He wasn't smuck!"

"He almost got you killed!"

CeeCee's eyes widened and she took a sip of her water. "This is getting interesting."

"He didn't! You don't know anything about what went down that night!" He actually really didn't.

"Night, what the heck were you even doing over there at that hour at night?" he asked. I could almost read his mind, I knew exactly what he was thinking. This time I actually gasped.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong!" I said quickly. Well, at least not in the way he thought.

"Riiiiiiight."

"You calling me a slut?!"

"I'm saying that guy could probably turn you in to one!"

"JAKE!" Andy yelled.

"That is so none of your business!" I yelled. "I don't have to take this! Espicially from some pot head!" Ok, I know Sleepy wasn't on drugs, but it was all I could think of.

"I'm not on drugs!"

"Oh really, could have fooled me-"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" Both my mother and Andy stood up. I glared at Sleepy, trying to decide wether to walk out of the room dramatically, or yell some more.

"I am appalled that you two would say those kind of things to each other!" My mother said. "Apologize to each other!" We just glared some more. I now noticed that both me and Sleepy were now standing, me glaring up at him with my arms crossed in front of me and both his fist on the table. "NOW." Andy ordered.

"He started it." I muttered to myself. Sleepy just snickered and looked away.

"Ok, both of you, in the kitchen! Do not come out until you have this settled! And we better not hear one raised voice come out of the room, or else!" Andy threatened.

"Dad, I-"

"Andy, can't I just-"

"GO!" he yelled.

I rolled my eyes. "This is so dum, seriously, were not 5." I muttered again. I don't know what but Sleepy seemed to be muttering something to himself too. We walked into the kitchen and closed the glass door that separates it from the dining room.

I was the first to speak. "What the heck is your problem?" I exclaimed. "Tad never did anything to you! And in front of my best friend too! Listen if you have a problem with me, take it up with me in private, don't yell at me in front of the whole world!"

Jake rolled his eyes. "Whatever." he said under his breath.

"Will you stop that? Jerk!" I yelled, hoping no one but Sleepy heard me.

"Oh, I'm the jerk?" He asked, raising his voice.

"QUIET IN THERE!" We heard Andy threaten again.

"Yes, you're the jerk! You started all that!" I said in a husky whisper, signaling towards the dining room.

"Well, at least I don't go showing off my new boyfriend all over town!" He whispered back just as harshly.

"What? Ok, dude, you are so off! first, Tad is NOT nor was he ever my boyfriend, and second, I do not show him off to anybody!" I exclaimed.

Sleepy raised his eyebrows. "Wait, so you two aren't....together?" he said, interlocking his fingers on 'together'. Now I rolled my eyes.

"No we are not. And what happened that night wasn't his fault. It was...." I tried to look for the right words. Something someone like him would believe. "It was unpredictable and his uncle was a phsyco. Now do you mind telling me what your deal with him is? You've been like this for awhile."

Sleepy groaned and put his head in his hands. "It's nothing. I was just being a jerk."

"Yeah, you were. But why?" I asked.

"It doesn't matter. I just...I don't think you should date Tad." he said.

I raised my eyebrows. "Umm. Why? I mean I know older brothers are suppose to be over protective and all, but still-"

"Just...It was nothing Suze, just forget it, ok?" he turned to me. I looked up at him and shrugged.

"Ok. Whatever Sleepy. See ya." I waved and turned to leave, but once again...

"Suze?"

"Hm?" I turned again and suddenly I felt Jake's hands on my cheeks. "Jake?"

He got out of his seat at the island and stood up, so I has to look up at him. He kept his hold on my face and slowly, he began to lean forward. In my head, I gasped. Though what happened next wasn't what I was expecting, it still shocked me.

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**Ok, I'm gunna leave it there, ok? I promise to update soon, blah blah blah. Tell me what you think people! PLEASE? Hahaha**

**Ok, so, I promise the next few chapters wont be as boring as the last two where, starting now. If anyone has anything to say to me than, just say it in a review or **

**a ****private message. Um. Ok I have to go study, STAR testing and all. Bye!**

**_-Sour Candy_**


	4. Chapter 4

**HI peoples! OK, don't tell anyone but…I'm cheating. Yep, I am breaking my cycle. I should be updating Not Over Us right now but I got such a positive response to this story on chapter 3, I just HAD to update! That and the fact that I love this story so much ha-ha. Ok so yay, I'm updating super early! Hmm…I had something else to say…just don't really remember…oh, oh yeah! Wait no. Ok, never mind, let's just move on to the disclaimer(which I forgot about in the last chapter BTW)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mediator Series, or any of the characters ever mentioned anywhere in the books. If I ever do make an OC(Original Character) I will tell you.**

**OH I REMEMBER NOW! I posted my ideal cast for this story on my profile! If you're curious to see what I picture these people as(or as close as close can get to it) go check it out!**

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Brother. Step-brother, but never the less, still a brother. My eyes were wide as wide can get. I pursed my lips and put my hand on the kitchen counter. Shockingly, what I was thinking was completely unrelated to the fact that this was my BROTHER.

"_Oh my god. What's my breath smell like? What was the last thing I ate? What is Andy even serving tonight? OMG!"_

Don't ask me why I was thinking that. Just don't. Because 'till this day, I still don't know what came over me as I began to lean forward.

As soon as our lips touched, my eyes closed. I hesitated a bit, and so did Jake. This wasn't right, and we both knew it. Yet, somehow, at the moment, it didn't matter as much as it should have. My hand found it's way up to his shoulder, and my other arm wound around his neck. Both his arms were on my waist. Our kiss was gentle, eager, sweet. His breath tasted like .

"_Jake…" _I thought. That was my mistake. I started to think again. Suddenly everything was wrong. Wrong, wrong , wrong, _wrong._ My eyes popped open, I stopped kissing him, and I pushed him away as quickly as I could.

"Jake!" I said gasping for air. "W-W-What the heck are you…..???? What is wrong with you?!" I said.

"Suze, I….I…" He too was gasping for air. "I don't…I really don't know what came over me, I am so sorry, I…Oh my god, I am so…Oh my god Suze." He stammered. "Please, please forgive me, I really shouldn't have…I-I-I…I shouldn't have kissed you that way, I really shouldn't have kissed you that way!"

"And what way should you kiss me?!" I exclaimed, now angry.

"I…I shouldn't at all?" He said confused.

"NO YOU SHOULDN'T!" I all but yelled. "Ge-Ge-Get away from me!" I said, turning around and heading towards the dining room. "Jerk!" I yelled over my shoulder. Then I felt him grab my wrist, turn me around and hold me to his body. Our faces were inches apart, our bodies even closer. His hand rested on the small of my back.

"Jake!" I yelled.

"You kissed me back." He said. "You kissed me back, Suze. What does that mean? Why? Why did you kiss me back?" He asked.

"I don't know! Let go of me Jake!" I exclaimed. "Or else!"

He smiled. Now he was beginning to scare me. "Or else what?"

"Jake, let go!"

He touched his nose to mine and looked me up and down. "Suze, I have to know. I just have to." He said. Slowly his lips started to lower themselves to mine.

"Sleepy, don't you dare-" I was cut off by his lips. They violently crashed into mine. For the second time that night he kissed me. This time I tried to fight back. Tried, but most certainly did not succeed. He was determined and, at the moment, I was weak. His hold on my wrist slowly started to loosen as he deepened the kiss and I stopped trying to resist. My final attempt at breaking free made me lose my balance and fall to the floor, with him landing on top of me. Not hard, or even that painful, considering he was still holding on to my back, so he stopped anything from the shoulders up from crashing in to the floor.

He separated his lips from mine to ask, "Are you ok?"

I shook my head, my breathing incredibly uneven. "No." Then I grabbed on to his shirt and pulled him down as hard as I could, forcing his lips back on mine. He was surprised at first, as was I, but he recovered quickly, moving his lips to mold perfectly on to mine. I didn't care anymore. I don't know why, but I didn't care.(And apparently neither did Sleepy).

"Hey, Suze, we heard a crash, you alri-Oh my!" I heard someone gasp.

"Is everything alright?"

"Oh, he did they kill each other?"

Many more gasps followed the voices. I had enough brain to think that this probably looked pretty shocking to anyone who hadn't been in the room a couple of minutes before. On second thought, it would be shocking either way.

Me and Sleepy eventually broke apart and looked up. In front of us was pretty much the whole family: Mom, Andy, Dopey, Doc, and CeeCee, who I had forgotten was sleeping over. Eyes wide and jaws almost to the floor. I opened my mouth and closed it again. I looked over at Jake. He looked as shocked as everyone else was. Somehow he managed to choke out, "Um. We…can explain?" I grimaced.

_**An hour later.**_

"How? I honestly do not understand Suze! How did you…you left the room hating that guys guts! How did you…You spent less than 10 minutes in there and all of a sudden you guys are… all over each other! Literally! " CeeCee was pacing the length of my room, speaking with her hands and trying to make sense out of everything that she had just seen. I sat criss cross apple sauce style on my bed, scooping large amounts of mint chocolate-chip ice cream in to my mouth. I was already in my pj's, boxer shorts and an over sized tee. Luckily Jesse hadn't been around all night, so he hadn't heard a thing that Cee had been yelling at me about. But knowing Jesse….It wouldn't be long until he found out. And that was certainly not something I was looking forward to.

"I mean, the yelling! We thought you guys were eating each other alive in there! Actually, you know, we were pretty close, it looked like you guys were trying to eat each others faces off!" She continued.

"Hey, are you gonna want any of this?" I asked.

'Ugh, Suze!"

"What? This is some good stuff, if you don't act now, they'll be none left." I said.

"Ugh! I can't believe you!"

" Hey! When it comes to junk food, every woman to herself hun."

"SUSANNAH SIMON!" she yelled. "Explain yourself!"

"Ugh." I put the ice cream down and stood up. "Listen. I don't know how, I don't know why. It just…happened OK? It happened and it's done so let's just…forget!"

"I will not forget! Suze, you just had a total make-out session with you brother!" she exclaimed.

"Step-Brother! Step! Gosh, why does everybody always forget the step part?" I asked.

"Oh, whatever! Suze, just, come on please! I'm dying here!" she begged.

I sighed. "Oh CeeCee…I just…it was so…odd. But…"

"But?" she leaned forward, hanging on my every word. Was this…episode really all that interesting?

"But…I liked it. A lot. Have you ever, ever, had something so strange, so wrong, but so pleasurable pull you towards it?" I struggled to come up with words that explained what had happened when I kissed him.

"Have you ever tasted chocolate?" Cee took out a large bar of it and took a bite. Hm. Chocolate? A very nice comparison.

"Oh, Cee." I smiled and then we broke out laughing.

Once we stopped she said, "So. You kissed your bro and you liked it." in a sing-song voice.

I laughed again. "Yeah, that's a good way to put it."

"So, who kissed who first?" She asked, popping another piece of chocolate in to her mouth.

"Both."

"What?"

"He kissed me. I pushed him away. He kissed me. We fell. I kissed him."

"Ah. So you guys lip locked more than once." She raised her eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah Yeah Yeah."

"So…" she furrowed her brow. "Are you guys like…dating now?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. You guys didn't exactly give us time to talk about it." I said. As soon as Jake had said "We can explain." my mom freaked. She sent both of us to our rooms and CeeCee immediately started interrogating me.

"Oh. Well do you like him?" She asked.

I bit my lip. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe."

"Do you think he likes you?"

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps?"

"Perhaps."

"What if he does? Would you consider going out with him?"

"I…guess?"

"You guess?"

"Will you stop that!" I laid back down on my bed and put my hands on my face. "I am so confused. Cee, you're my best friend, help me!"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just…I don't know! Ugh! I need to clear my head."

She giggled. "Looks like you might still be high on Jake."

"Cee!"

"Just being honest. Now come on. Be honest. How good were his lips? His breath?" She giggled. I sat back up and smiled.

"His lips were so soft…so gentle. And his breath…mmm…tasted just like . Sweet." I dreamily.

"Ha-ha. You are still high!" She laughed. I threw a pillow at her.

"Like you wouldn't still be high on Adam!"

"Not true! I would still be out cold, in shock." she said, throwing the pillow back at me. I laughed.

"So, am I going to need earplugs now?" I asked.

"Why?"

"Cause I just put that idea in your head. I bet your going to be dreaming about it aerial night. Oh, kiss me Adam, oh, oh!" I said, making kissy faces at her. She gasped and yanked the pillow out of my hands, hitting me with it over and over and over again. "Hey!" I shrieked, breaking out in to a fit of giggles. I found another pillow and smacked her. She gasped as her glasses were knocked askew. We laughed so much as the pillow fight went on. Hw nice it felt to have a friend like CeeCee. And a pillow that could knock the feather out of hers!

_**Later that night**_

I woke up to a faint knocking on my door. It was probably around one in the morning. I looked around.

"Suze? Suze, you awake?" Jake whispered. I gasped.

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**THAT IS THE LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE WRITTEN IN THE HISTORY OF FOREVER! I hope you guys are happy! Lol, I mean that in a good way, this chapter took me awhile. Thanks for reading, please review! AND I HOPE THAT'S A GOOD CLIFFHANGER, I just came up with it. I'll update ASAP, just keep on encouraging me! And it's funny, I got a review yesterday telling me to hurry up, 2 today(I wrote this yesterday BTW I just decided to post it today) and now I'm updating! Thank to you guys, you guys made me want to update soooo much! Ok, that's it, and yeah, ok. Bye!**

_**-Sour Candy**_


	5. Chapter 5

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Hi.…..umm…I know I haven't updated in…a long time. It's just um….*thinks frantically* You see there's school, and friends, homework and FINALS. It's been kind of hectic lately, but I think things are going to get easier because: I'TS SUMMER TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE SUMMER. NO SCHOOL! NO ZERO PERIOD! NO HOMEWORK! NO……sadly, for me this also means no friends, my BFF is going to Florida and I'm stuck at home while my other BFF is……busy, she always has something going on. Oh, I get so lonely. SO ON TO UPDATING!

**A/N: BTW, there is one new story up there that is Jake/Suze. READ IT. READ IT. READ IT. It only has like 3 reviews(as of….6/17/09 4:50pm) and I think it deserves way more than that, I like it a lot so far, and I hope you guys give it a chance. LOL, though I will state this: I was the SECOND person to post a Mediator Jake/Suze story, and I am so darn proud to be one of the first 3.**

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**A/N:Uh...hehe...that *points up* and that *points down* was written a long time ago...hehe...I just...haven't...posted it...DONT KILL ME. I'm sorry I took so long to update, really I am! I just...well, I wrote this chapter and I had to re-check and stuff, and I got a case of the lazy's....But then, I got my vert first angry letter sent by a nice little girl that reminded me I had to get off of my lazy little butt and start updating again! So thank you for that, violetrulz132!(And, of course I'm ot angry, I totally needed it, and yup you got my attention, so yay!) I'm updating, so BE HAPPY PEOPLES!!!!!!!! And I promise never to take so long in updating ever again! Honestly!**

**Disclaimer: All I own is the storyline...**

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My eyes widened. What the heck? What was he doing?

I looked down at CeeCee(she was sleeping on a cot my parents pulled out of somewhere). She was still sound asleep.

"Suze?"

I bit my lip.I hesitated before throwing the comforter off and tip-toeing to the door. "Jake?" I whispered.

"Suze.....can we talk?" Again I hesitated. We hadn't talked since dinner, and I had no idea what to say to him. What do you say to a guy who insults you, kisses you, and then wakes you up in the middle of the night?

"Um....Cee's kind of sleeping right now...." I said finally.

"We can talk in my room?" It was more of a question than a suggestion.

"Um." I struggled to find a reason not to. I gave up and finally opened the door. He looked up at me and smiled, reaching up to rub the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Um...Nice bed head." I gasped and tried to smooth out my hair. Then I glared at him.

"Do you want to talk or not?" I asked.

"Uh, yeah...um...come on." He turned around and walked down the hall to his room.**(A/N:I actually have no idea how far away his room is from Suze's room...)** He opened the door and stepped aside to let me in. For like the third time that night I hesitated; What would I find inside an 18 year old boy's room?**(A/N: I think Sleepy's 18...)**

"Don't worry, it's clean..." Sleepy smiled shyly at me. I nodded and quickly stepped in before I could change my mind. I heard Sleepy close the door behind me and looked around. I had never been in his room before....

The wall's were painted a soft green, with cream borders. His bed was made with dark brown sheet's, that matched his brown curtains. On one wall was a poster of some surfer dude riding a major wave. Posters like this one littered the walls, along with random stickers advertising what I guessed to be different sponsor companies. His surf board rested against a wall, his backpack was thrown on the floor. All in all, his room was nice.

"Um, so." I looked at him expectantly.

He stared back at me. His eyes, for once, weren't drowsy at all. "Um. Well. Sit." He pointed at the bed and slowly, I sat down.

"Listen, what happened tonight-"

"Look I-"

We started talking at the exact same time and stopped, again at the exact same time. Awkward.

"I-"

"Suze, I-"

We stopped again. I breathed in deeply. "Well, you brought me here, it's only fair you start." I said.

"Oh. Ok."

"Ok."

"Yeah."

"So?"

"So what?"

"Well."

"Well what?"

"SPEAK,"

"Oh." I rolled my eyes. Well, maybe he was a bit drowsy after all. Either that, or this was just how he always was. I waited for him to start again. "Well, Suze. I guess...well, what do you feel about what happened this afternoon?" he said.

"What do I think?" he nodded. "Well....I guess I feel..well, confused is the only word I can think about right now."

"Oh." Jake looked surprised. "Well, if it helps, me too. I mean. You're...technically you _are _my sister."

"Step. Don't forget the step part."

"Oh. Yeah." he cleared his throat. "Um well. What did you feel while it was happening? I mean, I started it, but you didn't do anything to stop it..." He chuckled.

"I...Well, can you blame me?! As soon as I broke free, you pulled me back in!" I complained.

"I did not!" He defended himself

"You did to!"

"Well. Maybe I did, but only once! Do remember that it was you who kissed me that last time."

"I was caught up in the moment! I...I wasn't thinking very clearly." Nope, not at all....

"Really?"

"Really!" Pretty much.

"So you wouldn't do it again?"

"I..I..." Dang it.

"Ha. So admit it, you enjoyed it."

"I did not!"

"Well, you could have fooled me." He chuckled a bit more. I glared at him and grabbed his pillow. With one satisfactory whack, I was able to shut him up.

"Um, ok. Touchy." Sleepy steadied himself so he wouldn't fall off his bed. he chuckled a bit more and I hit him harder this time.

"Will you shut up already? Need I remind you that you started the whole thing?!" I said to him.

"Um, no. I remind myself enough..." he said more to himself than to me. Then he looked up at me. "So, seriously, what do you make of the whole thing?"

"Well. I don't know. I've only had so much experience with relationships and stuff. What did you feel?" I bit my lip. This conversation wasn't getting anywhere, and even if it was, it was doing so very slowly....

"Well...I...I...um..." He looked over at me and smiled. "Um...you know, this is really awkward..." he said chuckling. I giggled a little bit.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right...haha..." I hugged his pillow to my body an pursed my lips. "How about...we just...forget about what happened this afternoon?" I offered. We obviously weren't getting anything out of each other, and I didn't know what else to say...

Jake's face fell. "Um. Well, is that what you feel is best?"

"I...guess."

'Ok then. This afternoon never happened." Jake sighed and I felt overcome with sadness. What? So that's it? He's just going to let us forget about it? Sure, I said it, but he's agreeing with it?

"Wait but..."

"But what?"

"I mean...isn't that a bit drastic?"

"You said it."

"I know, but I didn't mean it!"

"Then why did you say it?"

"It was just a...and idea! It's better than anything you've proposed in the last few minutes!"

"Well that's cause-"

"Cause you haven't proposed anything? _You _brought _me _here, so it's your call!"

"Will you stop yelling?!"

"I am not yelling!"

"Calm down!"

"I am calm!"

**_Few Minutes later..._**

I stopped kissing Jake so I could catch my breath; I can only be without air for so long...

Jake smiled. "Do you feel major De Ja Vu too?"

I laughed. "So obviously, forgetting about what happened isn't going to help us any..."

"Nope."

"So what do you think?" I asked. Jake smiled a bit and leaned in to kiss me again.

"I think I don't want to forget it." I kissed him back.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"Neither do I." I kissed him again.

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**I just realized this looked like an ending...but it isn't, I do plan on continuing it. Keep on reviewing people, thank you so much for reading! Constructive critiscism is nice, and help me grow as a writer! So...yeah.**

**_-Sour Candy_**


	6. Authors Very Apologetic Note

OK....Ok....ok........ummm. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...Don't kill me.

I have just barely been able to be here, my computer went on the broke vacation since about mid-summer. I plan to get right on track, but suring my computer troubles I kinda made a decision about my writing.

I want you all to know, that I love you all. Your reviews are what keeps me going, and they make me feel all awesome inside. I got around 70 reviews now, and only about...5 chapters. I love you all so so so so so much. YOU ARE AWESOME. I would like you to know I love this story. It is one of my very first ones, and I will NEVER give it up NEVER EVER EVER EVER. Shortly after I came up with this idea I found fanfic. A couple of months later I signed up. A couple of months later I put this story up. I published this story March 21. It is now September 29. And I only have 5 chapters. I feel like I completely ignored this story and only gave it some time every once and awhile. And I know know know that it deserved more, and I will give it more.

But......

PLEASE DONT KILL ME.....

I...I'm not gonna do it now.

I am temporarely putting this story on hold.

It's not that I don't like writing for this story, it's just that right now I am writing for my other stories. I read The Mediator a VERY LONG TIME AGO, and came up with the plot for this story.

But then I started reading other things, I began to write other things, and now I have four stories up.

I'll admit that this story seems to be the most popular, but I can''t force myself to write when I want to write other things...Then my work is all crappy and icky.

I know where I want to go with this story and I know how it will I don't necesarily know how to get their yet. YET. This hold is TEMPORARY. I will NOT abandon my story, I promise you. Let me define my hold thing:

HOLD: Not updating regurarely, not concentrating fully on it, putting it to the back of my mind until inspiration finds me.

I promise this is not forever, and heck, if you review and tell me that you will keep reading and watch out for the next chapter of Growing Love, I might feel guilty enough to update. Then again, a review of hate and anger is probably what I deserve. Its easy to convince me of something, so if you really want me to update, then....*sigh*.

Kind words might help and encouragement, because I dont get that from friends and family, cause I dont let them read my work, cause I want true thoughts, not them going easy on me...ya know?

So, I'm very very very very very sorry guys, I promise this is not permanent. Please review what you think and if you're angry, super angry, understanding or other. Also put the word BUTTERFLY right before your review so I know if you read my whole post please!

**Love love,**

** Sour Candy**

**P.S: I hope to lift this hold soon!!! ;)**


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